It’s Christmas time

It is this time of year once again when love fills the air, this joyous occasion when a large part of the Christian population celebrates the Birth of Jesus Christ.{{more}}

No matter how small, everyone puts some form of meaning to the season.

Apart from the food, drinks, general cleaning and merriment, gifts form an integral part of the annual festivities.

And, in keeping with the belief that it is better to give than to receive, those loved ones in Sports are first on my shopping list for their Christmas gifts.

Marlon James, for being the top goal scorer in the Malaysian Premier League; the national Under-20 football team, for playing unbeaten thus far in the CFU competition; Kevin Hannaway, for winning the Under -15 title at the Caribbean Junior Squash Championships; Sophia Young, for her match winning points in the WNBA Finals, and Keiron Cottoy, who was the leading wicket taker in the TCL West Indies Under-19 cricket Tournament. They get the special treatment. They get gifts of their choice.

But the Minister of Sports certainly gets a drum for his Christmas. So rather than beating his favourite phrase “the centrality of sports”, which has become a “routinisation” every time he speaks, he can have a better opportunity to play his tune, as his utterances are still awaiting realisation.

On the list also is the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association, which came with their pyrotechnics, offering much, lit up the stage but soon faded, leaving a puff of smoke behind.

A game boy is earmarked for them, along with some “swank” as they must have lost their taste buds of their $250 charge for non members who wanted to participate in the recent Jim Maloney Invitational classic.

Similarly, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation gets the latest version of the Play Station, as they have perfected the art of playing games with the minds of the young and seasoned basketballers in the state.

Not to be left out are the Executives of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Swimming and the Body Building Associations , who have been singing lustily “Silent Night” all year round, a special version of “Wake up my People” on Compact Disc(CD) will be hand delivered to you both, so you can sing along the entire season.

Other sporting associations, you may not be able to be offered Gold, Frankincense or Myrrh, as they are reserved for the only one with supremacy, but for the sport that you have stewardship , a gift of commitment, wrapped in service above self gratification will do you fine.

Getting this large gift is the Executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association, who above anyone else is deserving of such a present. One, they have been longing for, and one, I hope, they will cherish and make full use.

My financial resources are not unlimited, so others will get some small tokens. Remember, it is not the cost, but the thought behind it.

So, those unruly footballers and their supporters, who are determined to put the sport of Football to shame, some DVDs of Tarzan, and Jungle Fever, are coming your way.

It has been a fruitful year for this column, a weekly exercise that has been both fulfilling, and rewarding.

There were persons who sent their comments via e-mail, telephone calls or a brief word of congratulations in person. It was heartening as they served as motivation, to each week maintain or surpass the previous week’s effort.

To those who are “thinned skinned” , but who are thick skinned by nature, whose “corns” presumably got mashed during the past twelve months and went the route of verbal ridicule, yours will be an umbrella as your Christmas gift. A perfect present to shelter from the rain of criticism, to ensure it falls on your back and not your head. Additionally, a pacifier will be included to help when you are ready to throw your baby-like tantrums.

But as we end the year of mediocrity in Sports, let there be peace on Earth, and let that peace begin with you.

So let us show goodwill towards all men in this the festive season, even to those who erected that “Mound” at the Sion Hill Playing Field.

email: kingroache@yahoo.com